Don Calls for Digital Skills Investment to Power Nigeria’s Next Economy

Nigeria’s ability to build a competitive digital economy will depend heavily on how effectively it equips its young population with practical technology skills, the Vice-Chancellor of Summit University, Offa, Prof. Abiodun Aibinu, has said.

Aibinu made the call while delivering the keynote address at the launch of the Icitify Digital Skills Empowerment Foundation (IDSEF) at the University of Ibadan.

Speaking on the theme, “Building the Digital Future: Investing in Our Youth, Transforming Our Future,” the university don said Nigeria must move beyond providing young people with access to digital devices and focus on developing their ability to use technology to create economic value.

He said an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, data analytics and cybersecurity requires a workforce capable of creating solutions, generating income and using technology to address real-world problems.

“Equipping Nigeria’s youth with real digital capabilities is the foundation for the next economy,” Aibinu said.

Access to Technology Is Not Enough

Aibinu drew a distinction between having access to technology and possessing meaningful digital skills.

He noted that owning a smartphone does not automatically translate into digital competence, while using artificial intelligence to generate information does not necessarily mean a user can evaluate the accuracy of that information or apply it responsibly.

According to him, young Nigerians need to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability and practical technology skills if they are to become productive participants in the emerging economy.

He also stressed that digital literacy should not be restricted to people pursuing careers in software development.

“The question is not whether every young person should become a software developer, it is whether every young person should have the opportunity,” he said.

Nigeria’s Youth Population Presents an Economic Opportunity

The Chairman of IDSEF, Dr Taofeek Akinola, said Nigeria’s large youth population represents a significant human-capital opportunity, but warned that demographic growth must be matched with relevant skills.

He said Nigeria has approximately 110 million children and adolescents, representing nearly half of the country’s population.

However, Akinola noted that many young Nigerians still lack the practical, digital and entrepreneurial capabilities required to compete in an economy increasingly driven by technology and artificial intelligence.

He argued that the challenge is no longer simply expanding access to education, but ensuring that education translates into productive skills and the ability to create economic value.

Akinola called on federal, state and local governments to support digital and vocational training at scale, while urging businesses to invest in large-scale skills development rather than limiting their contributions to conventional charitable activities.

Businesses Have a Role to Play

The push for digital skills development also has direct implications for Nigeria’s private sector.

As businesses across finance, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, education and other industries adopt automation and AI-powered tools, demand is increasing for workers who can operate, manage and innovate with technology.

A stronger digital talent pool could help businesses reduce skills shortages, improve productivity and create new technology-enabled business models.

The Federal Government has similarly positioned digital skills as a key component of its economic strategy. Its 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme targets the training of three million young Nigerians in critical technical skills, with the broader objective of creating jobs and positioning Nigerian talent for the global technology market.

From Digital Consumers to Technology Creators

Founder and convener of IDSEF, Adelopo AbdulAzeez, said Nigeria’s digital future would be determined not simply by access to devices, but by the country’s ability to develop people who can use, adapt and create technology.

He said the foundation intends to provide practical digital and technological training to young Nigerians regardless of their background, gender or geographical location.

The approach reflects a growing recognition that digital transformation is not solely an infrastructure issue. Human capital is equally critical.

For Nigeria, developing a workforce capable of building digital products, analysing data, deploying AI, securing digital systems and solving business problems could create opportunities far beyond the domestic market.

Skills Could Strengthen Nigeria’s Global Competitiveness

Nigeria’s large English-speaking youth population gives the country a potential advantage in the global digital services market.

However, converting that demographic advantage into economic value will require sustained investment in technical training, vocational education, entrepreneurship and access to technology.

The growing importance of AI also means that training programmes will need to evolve continuously. Workers will increasingly need to understand not only how to use AI tools, but also how to evaluate outputs, identify errors, protect data and apply the technology responsibly.

For businesses, government and educational institutions, the message from the IDSEF launch is clear: preparing young Nigerians for the next economy requires a shift from simply providing technology access to building practical, market-relevant and continuously evolving digital capabilities.

If successfully scaled, such investments could strengthen productivity, create employment, support entrepreneurship and position Nigeria as a stronger exporter of digital talent and services.